Merab Dvalishvili threw first punch in RAF Wrestling brawl
Newly surfaced video shows UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili started the brawl that engulfed roughly 50 people at a Real American Freestyle Wrestling event in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Thursday.
According to MMA Mania, the footage reveals Dvalishvili grabbed the throat of Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov — a World Wrestling Championships bronze medalist and training partner of Umar Nurmagomedov — before punching him in the face. The altercation occurred hours before Dvalishvili's scheduled main event bout against former UFC champion Henry Cejudo at RAF Georgia.
What sparked the Dvalishvili-Gadzhimagomedov confrontation
Early reports suggested one of Nurmagomedov's associates approached Dvalishvili over recent trash talk between the camps. The video confirms Gadzhimagomedov initiated the conversation, though Dvalishvili escalated to physical contact first. Nurmagomedov responded on social media afterward, writing on X: "My friend only asked why you were talking behind someone's back. I don't need to insult you to feel like a man. Who you really are is shown when there's no crowd and no one to step in."
Dvalishvili has a history of impulsive behavior — he once gashed his own face after diving into a frozen lake during fight camp. The Georgian-born fighter faced Cejudo later Friday night as planned despite the incident.
RAF officials have not announced any disciplinary measures. Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov are expected to rematch for the UFC bantamweight title later this year.
Original reporting:
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